Proportional sequence control for folders



NOV. 17, 1953 R, McLAG N 2,659,598

PROPORTIONAL SEQUENCE CONTROL FOR FOLDERS Filed March 8, 1950 2Sheets-Sheet 1 A B A A r Y 5 73 5e as 4542 27 I I o 4 5 E 3 25 '-""-2663 e7 1 n j 1 FIG-I IN V EN TOR.

RUSSELL G. MCLAGAN ATTORNEYS 1953 R. G. MCLAGAN PROPORTIONAL SEQUENCECONTROL FOR FOLDERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 8, 1950 FIG-5 FIG-3FIG-4 INVENTOR. RUSSELL G. MCLAGAN ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 17, 1953PROPORTIONAL SEQUENCE CONTROL FOR FOLDERS Russell G. McLagan, Milford,Ohio, assignor to The American Laundry Machinery Company,

a corporation of Ohio Application March 8, 1950, Serial No. 148,453

7 Claims.

The invention relates to a novel and improved sequence control devicefor the timed control of one or more operations on a traveling article.It will be specifically described with relation to its adaptation to theperformance of proportional folding operations on flat work such aslaundry towels, sheets, or the like.

The invention herein to be disclosed is especially adapted for use witha laundry flat work folding machine such as is disclosed in U. S.

Letters Patent No. 2,464,823, granted March 22, 1949, to C. S. Malott,Jr., for Folding Machine.

The Malott machine includes continuous conveyor means for conveying aseries of sheets, towels, or the like to a position where the leadingedge of each article feeds downwardly adjacent a reciprocatablehorizontal folding arm. To perform the conventional one-quarterthreequarter fold the arm remains inactive until one quarter of thearticle has passed it in a downward direction. At this moment the arm isrocked laterally past the plane of the descending article so that thearticle now drapes over the arm and continues to move downwardly on theother side of the arm. When the threequarter point of the articlearrives in registry with the folder arm, the arm is again energized tomove forwardly to its first described position, whereupon the lastquarter of the article drapes downwardly over the first quarter. Thearticle is then routed to pass between folding rolls.

The present invention may be adapted for controlling devices other thanthe folding machine just described, but for simplicity and convenience,and in no sense of limitation, my invention will be described withoccasional reference to the Malott folding machine above brieflycharacterized.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved sequencecontrol device of positive mechanical type, electrically energized toinitiate an operation on a moving article at a point or points havingpredetermined proportionate relationships to the length of the article.

.By the terms proportionate relationships or "proportional as usedherein, I mean an operation at the quarter point, three-quarter point,or elsewhere fractionally of the article length.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a sequencecontrol device of the type defined in the last preceding paragraph,comprising a plurality of control units, each unit distinct and completein itself, and so disposed and operated that an operation on a Pair of 2immediately succeeding traveling articles is effected under the controlof respectively distinct units, whereby one or more operations on aleading article, for example are controlled by one such unit, and one ormore operations on the next succeeding article are controlled by anothersuch unit.

Further objects of the invention will be in part obvious, or will becomeapparent upon a study of the following specification, in coniunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevationalview of a sequence control device embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view as seen from above Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, somewhat enlarged, taken on theline 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an end elevational view, somewhat enlarged, from approximatelythe position of the line 5-5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram, showing some operating parts schematically.

Referring now to the drawings, and speaking first generally, the controldevice is shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, and Fig. 6 indicates certaincontrolled elements such as a folding blade 10, a pair of folding rollsH, a blade operating solenoid I2, an endless conveyor l3, and a tripswitch M which is operated by the leading and trailing edges of anarticle (not shown) moving to the right on the top flight of theconveyor. The folding impulses are supplied to solenoid l2 by thesequence controller shown in Figs. 1 to 5.

Referring now to Fig. 2 the folding impulses originate either inswitches l5 and I6 of a first folding control unit as indicated by thebracket ".A in Figs. 1 and 2, or in switches l1 and I8 of a secondfolding control unit as indicated by the bracket 13 in the same figures.In the representative example to which occasional reference will bemade, and wherein a one-quarter and three-quarter fold are to be appliedto moving flat work laundry articles such as sheets, unit A, inconjunction with other parts of the device, controls said folds on onesheet, and unit B, also in conjunction with other parts of the device,controls the same type folds on the next succeeding sheet. Unit A thencontrols the operations on the third sheet, and unit B on the fourth,etc.

In the embodiment here shown the sequence control device has acontinuously rotating driving shaft i9 supported on a base 20 by meansof frame uprights 23 and 24. The shaft I9 has a bevel gear 25 driven bya pinion 26 on a vertical shaft 2! which has on its upper end a sprocket28 driven by a chain 29 from the folding machine (not shown) so thatthere is positive synchronism between the controlling means and thefolding machine. A pair of driven shafts 30 and 3| are driven atfractional arithmetically proportioned speeds relative to the drivingshaft by means of a gear train 33 not herein necessary to characterizein detail, shaft 30 rotating at three-quarter the speed of the drivingshaft I9, and shaft 3! at one-quarter the speed of driving shaft l9.

Through appropriate elements soon to be described shaft 38 producesintermittent energization of switch l6 in unit A for the one-quarterfold operation on sheet, or of switch 18 in unit B for the one-quarteroperation on a succeeding sheet. Shaft 31 takes care of the operation ofswitches l5 and H in the same way, so as to respectively control thethree-quarter folds on the specified sheets. The part of unit A whichcontrols the one-quarter fold will be known as the first section of unitA, and the part of unit A which controls the three-quarter fold will beknown as the second section of unit A. Similarly understandableterminology will be applied to the first and second sections of unit B.

There is substantial similarity in the operation of each unit, and inthe operation of each section of each unit, so that such operation willbe described for the time being with reference mainly to the first andsecond sections of unit A. Each of the four sections is a complete timerunit.

Secured to shaft H] are two gears 34 and 35, one for each unit, andthese are in constant mesh with complementary gears 36, 31, 3B and 39carried on shafts 3D and 3| in the positions shown best in Fig. 2. Withspecial reference to the enlarged fragmentary view of Fig. 4 which showsthe construction of one section of unit A (the one controlling theone-quarter fold) and with occasional reference to the generaleonstruetion as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, there is shown a cup-likeclutch member 42 having an annular toothed face 43. Member 42 is pinnedto shaft 35. A driven clutch member 44 is secured to a generallycircular cam disk 45, both being freely rotatable on the periphery of asleeve 46 which is free to turn on shaft 35. The clutch comprising themembers 42, 44 will be hereinafter termed a positive clutch since itsengagement is more mechanical than frictional. Disk has frictionalcontact through a compressible ring 41 with a flanged sleeve 48 havingattached thereto the gear 36 which, as heretofore noted, is drivendirectly from main driving shaft 19 through gear 34. Sleeve 48 is freeon sleeve 45. Slippage between disk 45 and ring 41 is permitted whenfrictional adhesion between them is overcome by differential powerapplications respectively applied to each during operation, as willappear. The clutch comprising the members disk 45 and ring 41 will behereinafter termed a slip clutch. A collar 52 is also rotatable onsleeve 4'6, and it abuts a retaining ring 49 on the sleeve. Acompression spring 50 maintains endwise bias against ring 41.

The sleeve 45, and all elements carried thereby, including clutch part44, are movable slightly to the right from the position shown in Fig. l,against the bias of a compression spring 53, retained by a movablecollar 54, such movement being responsive to operation of a yoke lever55 effective through fork fingers 53 against a spool 5! slidable onshaft 35. Such movement to the right produces engagement of theccmpleinchtary positive clutch parts 42, 44. .As previously noted,clutch part 42 rotates with the speed of shaft 30, which travels atthree-quarter the speed of driving shaft I9. When the clutch parts ll,44 are engaged, slippage occurs between disk 45 and friction ring 41,and the disk necessarily rotates with the speed of clutch parts #12, 4'5and shaft 33. Under a certain condition when the clutch is not engaged,clutch part 44 rotates with friction ring 4i and gear 35, said gear 33being directly driven from gear 34 on main shaft 19. Under a stillfurther condition (as will appear) when the clutch is disengaged, anddisk 45 is intentionally held so as to completely prevent its rotation,slippage also occurs between ring El and disk 45.

As shown in Fig. 4 the clutch 42, 44 is disengaged, but engagement canbe effected. by the aforesaid yoke lever 55 which is pivoted at 53 on apart 23a of frame upright 23. the position shown the yoke lever, bymeans of a projecting finger 59, engages a stop lug 52 on disk Leveralso similarly operates spool li'lu (Fig. 2) on shaft 3] so as to causeoperation of the analogous and identical clutch parts, etc., in unit Aon shaft 3|. Lever 55 has a second finger similar to 59, but operativeon disk 45a in the second section of unit A, this second finger beingindicated at 55a in dotted line on Fig. 3. Each timer disk 45, 45a, hasattached thereto a cam or tripper 45c and 45d so located that in theunoperated position the tripper is slightly the operating arm for switch[6, Hi, etc. and the switch is in normally open position. Yoke lever 55has a forked leg 62 which straddles an oper ating rod 63 operated by asolenoid M, the rod having a fixed nut 65 on its end. For unit B anothersolenoid 66 has an operating rod 6'! to operate a similar yoke lever 58(Figs. 2 and 2) which controls the operation of analogous clutchmembers, etc., in unit B. As indicated in 3, yokes 55 and 88 have theiroperating legs staggered, left and right, so as to be operated by rods63 and B1 in alignment respectively with solenoids 64 and 56.

The device for alternating units A and B in sequence is best seen inFigs. 2, 4 and 5. Its mechanical structure will now be described, andits operation will later more readily appear in conjunction with thedescription of the wiring diagram and the sequence of operations. Itcomprises a double throw switch 12, a cam 13, and means for rotating thecam at each operation. Cam [3 is mounted on the end of shaft l9 but isnot secured thereto, being held in contact with a friction ring 74 by acompression spring i5 between two collars 1B and 1'! pinned to shaft l9.Stop pins 18 and 19 extend alternately to the front and rear of cam 13.A rocker 9U hav ing arms 9| and 92 is pivoted on a bracket 9-3 on frameupright 23. It has two positions, engaging either a front pin or a rearpin, either such position stopping cam 13. As the rocker is moved awayfrom one position, releasing one pin, the cam undergoes an increment ofmovement before the other rocker arm is interposed in front of the nextpin on the other side of the cam.

Operation of the rocker arm is effected by means of a rod 95 yieldinglyurged to the right by a spring 96. Attached to rod 95 is a sleeve 9'!carrying a pin 98 which has ends projecting 9'0; Rod 95 has an abutmentcollar 99- engaging a plate I50 on yoke 55', the rod end abutting asimilar plate I01 on yoke 6'8 in unit B. Since the rod 55 passes freelythrough an aperture in plate Illil, either yoke by movement to the left(Figs. 1 and 4) can operate rod 95 without affecting the position of theother yoke. The purpose of the sequence rocker of course is to permitoperation of cam I3 which at certain times causes operation of doublethrow switch I2. Switch I2 in one position energizes solenoid 5.4 and inthe other position energizes solenoid St.

The operation of the device i as follows, referring both to thestructural figures, and to the diagram, Fig. 6.

The compound gear train 3'3 is. so arranged that while the rotation ofdriving shaft I9 is counterclockwise (Fig. 3) the rotation of shafts 38and 3I is clockwise. In the wiring diagram the device is shown in theidle position with the double throw sequence switch in the circuitposition for operation of solenoid 64 as soon as trip switch I4 isclosed.

As soon as the leading edge of the first article (and we have selectedas work pieces a succession of sheets to be folded) reaches trip switchI4 a circuit is completed from L1 through switch l4, conductor I04,sequence switch I2 in the position shown (by reason of its switch armbeing on a low segment of cam 13) and through conductor I05, solenoid64, and conductor I05 to L2. The solenoid 64 remains energized as longas the sheet is moving over trip I4.

Energization of solenoid 64 moves rod 63 to the left (Fig. 4) therebyswinging yoke 55 clockwise and releasing cam disk 45 while at the sametime causing engagement of positive clutch parts 42 and 44. A similarresult is produced in the second section of unit A. As previouslydescribed, the cam disks 45 and 45a begin to rtate, disk 45 atthree-quarters the the speed of driving shaft I9 and disk 45a atone-quarter the speed of the driving shaft. This continues until thetrailing edge of the first sheet passes trip It, allowing the tripswitch to reopen and deenergizing solenoid 64. Spring 53 disengagesclutch parts 42, 44, and cam disks 45, 45a now rotate at full speedthrough slip clutch 45, 41 and gears 36, 34 to the driving shaft I9.

Observing the rotation of disk 45, as soon as its cam rise portion 45coperates switch I it completes a circuit to solenoid I2 which operatesfolder arm It to effect the first fold. The circuit is through Ll,conductors m8 and I09, switch I6. conductors HE! and III, a switch H2operated by a cam H3 on the folder shaft H4, conductor H5, solenoid I2,and conductors I I6 and III to L2. Operation of solenoid I2 and arm I0energize a half revolution clutch mechanism 94 cansing the arm to moveto its rear position, the folder arm contacting the dropping sheet atits one-quarter point and causing the sheet to drape over the horizontalportion of the arm. As a result of said half-revolution rotation ofshaft I Is, cam I I3 opens switch I I2 and closes a switch H8. Thisrearranges the circuit for operation of the second fold timer of unit A.

When the cam rise 55d of disk 45a operates switch E5 the solenoid I2 isagain energized through a circuit from L1 through conductors Hi3 and 39,switch l5, conductors I and I2I, switch H8, conductors I22 and H5,solenoid I2 and conductors H6 and II! to L2. Energization of solenoid I2again operates folder arm I0, causes a half revolution of shaft H4,opens switch I I 8. and closes switch H2.

It will be understood that the folding zone is so disposed as respectsthe distance from the trip I4, and the cam rises c and 45d arecircumferentially so disposed on disks 4'5 and 45a respectively, and therelative speeds of rotation of all shafts and the endless conveyor areso regulated. that the proper fold line of a sheet arrives at the folderarm coincidentally with energization of the solenoid I2, so. that thefolds are effected as planned. Changes may be made in some of thesefactors to effect a one-third two-third folding arrangement, etc.

The sequence operation by means of rocker 90 is as follows.

When solenoid iiII was energized as previously described, pulling rod 63to the left (Fig. 4) and moving yoke clockwise, plate I00 engaged collar99 so as to push rod as to the left against the bias of spring 96,causing pin 98 to move rocker SI. As previously described thismomentarily releases cam I3 to permit a segmental increment of rotation,an angular distance-equivalent to the distance between a pin on one sideof cam I3 and the nearest pin on the opposite side, for example from apin IS to a pin I8. Examination of Fig. 5 will show that this rotation(counterclockwise) is insufficient to affect the position of the arm Haof switch 12. However, when solenoid 54 was deenergized by passing ofthe trailing edge of the sheet past trip I4, rod 95 moves to the right(Fig. 4) under the bias of spring 95, the collar 99 moving yoke 55counterclockwise. Rocker 95 then moves back to its original position,again permitting the standard segmental rotation of cam I3, and at thistime switch arm 72a is moved to the next high segment on cam I3 so as tocause operation of switch I2. This reversal of switch I2 now placessolenoid 66 in circuit with trip switch I4, so that the next articlewhich comes through on the endless conveyor will be under the control ofsolenoid 66, yoke 68, and the several timer sections of unit B.

Actuation by solenoid 56 for the one-quarter fold causes movement of camI3 as before, but insuflicient to drop switch arm 12a or operate switch12. The return of yoke 38 upon deenergization of the solenoid 56 causesoperation of the rocker 90, permits another segmental increment ofrotation of cam I3, and one cycle of operation I of units A and B hasbeen completed.

In this specification and the appended claims, I use the wordsarithmetically proportioned to indicate any selected fractionalincrement of the standard of comparison. For example in comparing thespeed of the driven shaft with the speed of the driving shaft in theembodiment disclosed, and under the relative rates of rotationdisclosed, the words arithmetically proportioned mean that the drivenshaft is rotating at three-quarter the speed of the driving shaft. Inother possible embodiments the words would indicate the fact that aparticular suitable ratio has been selected to attain the operation atthe location desired.

What I claim is:

1. Control means adapted to time the execution of an operation on eachof a series of spaced articles moving on a conveyor past measuringmeans, and wherein an operating member is energized to perform suchoperation responsive to rotation of a timing member past a point ofregistry, said control means comprising a first driving member, a seconddriving member, means for rotating said driving members at differentrates, means for producing and continuously maintaining planarfrictional driving engagement between said timing member and said rstdriving member, stop means for preventing rotation of said continuoustiming member despite said frictional driving engagement, means forproducing positive driving engagement een said timing member and saidsecond driving member while simultaneously rendering stop meansineffective, whereby said timing member rotates responsive to saidsecond driving menu ber despite said continuous frictional engage" mentwith said first driving member, and means for terminating said positivedriving engagement while said stop means remains ineffective, to permitsaid timing member to be driven from said first driving member by meansof the a oresaid frictional engagement until said ti ring member reachessaid point of registry.

2. Control means adapted to time the execution of an operation on eachof of spaced articles moving on a conveyor past measuring means, andwherein an operating member is energized to perform such operationresponsive to rotation of a timing member to a point of registry, saidcontrol means comprising a driving shaft, a second driving shaft, meansfor rotating said shafts at different rates, slip clutch means normallydisposed to eifect contini frictional driving engagement between saiding member and said first driving shalt, means for normally preventingrotation of said timing member despite such continuous frictionaldriving engagement, a positive clutch which, when engaged effects directdriving inter-lock between said timing member and second driving shaft,means responsive to of th leading edge of an article past said measurimeans for simultaneously engaging said posi clutch and disengaging saidstop means, whereby to cause said timing member to be driven from saidsecond shaft despite said continuous frictional engagement with saidfirs driving shaft, through said positive clutch, and means responsiveto passage of the trailing edge of an article past said measuring meansfor disengaging said positive clutch while said stop means remainsdisengaged whereby to cause said timing meinher to be driven from saidfirst shaft through said slip clutch until said timing member reachessaid point of registry.

3. Control means adapted to time the execu. tion of an operation on eachof a series of spa: d articles moving on a conveyor past measuringmeans, and wherein an operating membe is energized to perform suchoperation responsive to rotation of a timing member past a poi registry,said control means comprising r driving shaft and a second drivingshait, means for rotating said first driving shaft in synchronism withthe movement of said conveyor, means for rotating said second drivingshaft at a speed arithmetically proportional with respect to the speedof said conveyor, slip clutch means normally disposed to effectcontinuous frictional driving engagement between said timing member andsaid first driving shaft, stop means for normally preventing rotation ofsaid timing member despite such continuous frictional driving envgagement, a positive clutch which, when engaged,

ing said sto means ineffective whereby to cause said timing member to bedriven from said second shaft despite said continuous frictionalengagement with said first driving shaft, and means responsive topassage of the trailing edge of the article past said measuring pointfor disengaging said positive clutch while said stop means remainsdisengaged, whereby to cause said timing member to be driven from saidfirst shaft until said timing member reaches said point of registry.

i. Control means adapted to time the execution of a folding operation oneach of a series of laundry fiatwork articles moving on a conveyor pasta measuring trip switch, and wherein a folding blade is energized toperform the folding operation responsive to operation of a second switchby rotation to contact therewith by a timing member, said control meanscomprising a first and a second driving shaft, means for rotating saidfirst driving shaft in synchronism with the movement of said conveyor,means for rotating said second driving shaft at a speed arithmeticallyproportioned with respect to the speed of said conveyor, slip clutchmeans normally disposed to effect continuous frictional drivingengagement between said timing member and said first driving shaft, stopmeans for normally preventing rotation of said timing member despitecontinuous frictional driving engagement, a positive clutch which, whenengaged, effects direct driving interlock between said timing member andsaid second driving shaft despite said continuous frictional drivingengagement with said first driving shaft, means responsive to pa sage ofthe leading edge of an article past s trip switch for simultaneouslyengaging said positive clutch and rendering said stop means ineffective,and means responsive to passage of the trailing edge of the article pastsaid trip switch for disengaging said positive clutch while said stopmeans remains disengaged, whereby to cause said timing member to rotateto contact with said second switch to thereby institute execution ofsaid folding operation.

5. Apparatus of the character described including operation performingmeans for the execution of a proportional operation on each of a seriesof spaced articles moving on a conveyor, comprising a first drivingshaft, means for rotating said first driving shaft in synchronism withthe movement of said conveyor, a second driving shaft, means forrotating said second driving shaft at a speed arithmeticallyproportioned to the speed of said first driving shaft, a timing camrotatable on said second driving shaft, a positive clutch operativelyengageable with said timing cam and said second driving shaft, a slipclutch continuously frictionally engaging said tii ing cam and saidfirst driving shaft, stop means normally engaging said timing cam toprevent rotation thereof despite engagement therewith of said slipclutch, means responsive to passage of the leading edge of an aforesaidarticle past a measuring point for engaging said positive clutch and forsimultaneously disengaging said stop means to permit rotation of saidtiming cam, means responsive to passage of the trailing edge of saidarticle past said measuring point for disengaging said positive clutch,while said stop means remains disengaged whereby engagement with theaforesaid slip clutch again drives said timing cam, and means thereafterresponsive to operation of said timing cam and effective upon saidoperation performing means for initiating the performance of saidproportional operation.

6. Apparatus of the character described including operation performingmeans for the execution of proportional operations on each of a seriesof spaced articles moving on a conveyor, comprising a driving shaft,means for rotating said driving shaft in synchronism with the movementof said conveyor, a first driven shaft and a second driven shaft, meansfor continuously rotating said first and second driven shafts at speedsarithmetically proportioned to each other and to that of the drivingshaft, said first and second driven shafts each having a timing camrotatable thereon, a first and a second positive clutch, the firstpositive clutch being engageable with the first driven shaft and thetiming cam thereon, and the second positive clutch being engageable withthe second driven shaft and the timing cam thereon, a first and a secondslip clutch, each synchronously driven from said driving shaft the firstsaid slip clutch continuously frictionally engaging the timing cam onthe first driven shaft, the second said slip clutch continuouslyfrictionally engaging the timing cam on the second said driven shaft, 9,first and a second stop respectively normally engaging the first andsecond timing cams to prevent rotation thereof despite engagement of therespective slip clutches, means responsive to passage of the leadingedge of an aforesaid article past a measuring point for engaging bothsaid positive clutches and for simultaneously disengaging both saidstops, means responsive to passage of the trailing edge of the samearticle past the measuring point for 10 disengaging both said positiveclutches while both said stops remain disengaged whereby frictionalengagement between both the aforesaid slip clutches and their respectivetiming cams again drives both said timing cams, and means thereafterresponsive to operation of both said timing cams, and successivelyeffective upon said operation performing means for initiating theperformance of successive proportional operations on the same article.

7. Control means as defined in claim 4 wherein the means responsive topassage of the leading edge of an article past the trip switch comprisesa solenoid in electric circuit communication with said trip switch, anda lever operatively responsive to energization and de-energization ofsaid solenoid, said lever being effective upon said positive clutch andsaid stop to engage said positive clutch and disengage said stop whensaid trip switch is closed, and to disengage said positive clutch whenthe trip switch is opened.

RUSSELL G. McLAGAN.

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